Yieldably urged wipe forming and holding shoe adapted for curved surfaces



June 2, 1959 A. YURKA, JR 2,888,973

YIELDABLY URGED WIPE FORMING AND HOLDING SHOE ADAPTED FOR CURVEDSURFACES Filed June 21, 1956 V 5 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

V BY W fi AW M June 2, 1959 YIELDABLY'URGBD WIPE FORMING AND HOLDINGSHOE ADAPTED FQR CURVED SURFACES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1956INVENTOR. WWI;4"I BY 5 K I flTTflE/VEKJI June 2, 1959 A. YURKA, JRYIELDABLY URGED WI 2,888,973 PE FORMING AND HOLDING SHOE ADAPTED FORCURVED SURFACES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 21, 1956 INVENTOR. aw 1 BY'41 477'0F/Vf/X United States Patent YIELDABLY URGED WllPE FORMING ANDHOLD- ING SHOE ADAPTED FOR 'CURVED SURFACES 4 Claims. (Cl. 15340) Thisinvention relates to a wipe forming and holding shoe and particularly toa wipe forming and holding shoe having curvilinear wiping face of whichvarious small increments along the face in a direction transversely ofthe direction of wiping are self-adjusting so that the wiping face canconform to the changing contour of a side face die which face hasdifferent curvilinear cross sections at different locations along itslength.

The Wiping shoe of the present application is particularly adapted foruse with the apparatus described in the United States Letters Patent No.2,816,593, issued December 17, 1957 to Henry W. Hein and Frank J.Phillips, and entitled Method and Apparatus for Stretch Forming TaperedBlanks.

As therein more fully described, it is desirable in the forming oflengths of stock of tapered section about side face dies that a shoe beprovided which can adjust itself to the difierent curvilinear crosssections of the side face of the die, taken in a plane at right anglesto the direction of wiping, at different locations along the length ofthe die.

For this purpose the die must have a Wiping face which is preferablycontinuous along the cross section of the die to which it is to beapplied yet is arranged with means for curving it by small increments topreselected degrees at various portions along the length of the face ina direction transversely of the wiping direction.

As more fully described in the above identified copending application,the forming of such tapered blanks is by means of an apparatus such asdescribed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,810,421, issued October22, 1957 to Stanley M. Dolney and Henry W. Hein, and entitled Method andApparatus for Forming Elongated Metal Stock, for which the present shoeis particularly well adapted, its use with other apparatus beingapparent from the following description wherein reference is made to thedrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of an apparatus for stretch and wipe formingstrip stock;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the wiping and holdingshoe of the present invention and its supporting and operatingmechanism;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 inFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 inFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the forwardportion of the shoe; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic illustrations showing modifications ofthe wiping shoe.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus in which the shoe is used maycomprise generally a frame 1 on which is mounted a horizontal turntable2 rotatably driven in opposite directions selectively through the mediumof a suitable rack and pinion, not shown, by a reversible piston andcylinder assemblage 3.

Mounted on the table is a holding and stretching piston and cylinderassemblage 4 having a holding head 5 adapted to grip one end of a lengthof stock S for applying tension thereto or for holding that end of thestock in fixed position relative to the table, selectively.

Mounted on the table 2 is a side face die D about which the stock is tobe formed.

On the frame 1 is the main piston and cylinder assemblage 6 to which isoperatively connected a gripping head 7 adapted to engage the oppositeend of the stock S and apply tension thereto suflicient to stretch formthe stock.

Connected with the frame 1 is a frame 8 which extends alongside theframe 1 and has a trackway 9 on which a suitable carriage 10 isreciprocable by means of a piston and cylinder assemblage 11.

On the carriage ll) is a saddle 12 on which is mounted a wipe formingpiston and cylinder assemblage 13. Mounted on the saddle in a suitableguide is a slide 14. On the forward end of the slide 14 is a pedestal 15on which the wiping and holding shoe 16 of the present invention iscarried.

For purposes of description, the wiping shoe 16 is described aspositioned to cooperate with a die on a horizontal turntable, it beingunderstood that the positions thus defined are merely for establishingthe relative positions of the parts as obviously the entire apparatuscan be turned with the plane of the turntable vertical or in otherdirections without affecting the operation.

As best illustrated in Figs. 2 through 6, the wipe forming shoecomprises a plurality of shoe elements 21) which are arranged relativelyclose together, end to end, in a vertical row which extends transverselyof the wiping direction, which direction, in the position in which theapparatus illustrated is positioned, is horizontal.

Means are provided for supporting the elements for individual movementforwardly and rearwardly of the row while constraining them frommovement laterally of the row relative to each other. This meanscomprises a pair of upright plates 21 spaced apart horizontally fromeach other so as to lie at opposite sides of the row of elements 213 andconfine the elements while guiding them for sliding movement forwardlyand rearwardly. The plates 21 are secured to a base block 22 and theresultant assemblage is secured to the pedestal 15 for movementtherewith forwardly and rearwardly.

A plurality of piston and cylinder assemblages 23 are connected to theelements 20 so as to yieldably urge the elements forwardly andrearwardly independently of each other so that they may move forconforming the wiping face of the shoe to differences in cross sectionof the side face of the die at different locations along the length ofthe face.

Each piston and cylinder assemblage 23 comprises a cylinder 24 in whicha piston 25 is reciprocable, the piston 25 having a rod 26 at the outerend of which is carried a connecting link 27 by which the piston rod ispivotally connected to an associated one of the elements 20 by means ofa pivot 28. Thus each element 20 is supported on its link for rockingabout a horizontal axis, that is, an axis extending parallel to thewiping direction.

Each cylinder 24 is connected by a suitable duct 29 to a common controlduct 30 which is provided in the base plate 22 and to which fluidpressure is supplied by a pipe 31 from an extraneous source. Hydraulicpressure fluid is preferred.

Each of the assemblages is connected to the common conduit 30 so thatwhen fluid pressure is applied each piston will be moved forwardly tothe extent necessary to cause accommodation of the wiping face of theelemen 20 to the side face of the die.

The elements have a common wiping face which is preferably one face of astrip 32 of wear resistant material which can withstand the wear andabrasion of the wiping operation yet can be bent and flexed flatwise toconform to the cross section of the die face. Metal or some of theharder wear resistant plastics are preferred. The strip 32 extends thefull length of the row of elements 20. Flexible forceequalizing-distributing means are interposed between the forward facesof the elements 20 and the rear face of the strip 32 and are operable todistribute the forces applied by the elements more nearly uniformlyalong the entire length of the strip 32 and more nearly at right anglesto, or normal to, the rear face of the strip 32 at their points ofapplication.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 4 through 6 the flexible forceequalizing-distributing means may comprise a resilient but relativelystiff rubber cushion 33. For accommodating the strip 32 and the flexibleforce equalizing-distributing means, the forward ends of the elements 20are channel shaped and the rubber strip is disposed in the channelbetween the base and the strip 32. The wiping strip 32 is disposed nearthe plane of the forward face of the elements and extends slightlytherebeyond forwardly. The strip is sufficiently thick, however, so thatits edges lie between the sides of the channel in front of the elements20 and thus is engaged thereby, as indicated at 34, so as to constrainthe strip 32 from moving laterally of the row of elements 20 or, in thewiping direction. Since the elements 20 accommodate themselves to themajor changes in curvature of different portions of the cross section ofthe face of the die and can be positioned forwardly and rearwardly fromthe pedestal, very little movement of the strip 32 relative to theindividual elements is required, and, therefore, little distortion ofthe rubber is necessary. The forward portion of the rubber strip is cutback slightly along its sides, as indicated at 35, from the channel sidewalls of the elements 20 so that the rubber can expand thereinto as itis compressed by movement of the strip 32 toward the base of thechannel.

The rubber is sufficiently firm so that full holding pressure requiredfor holding the stock firmly against the die and frictionally binding itagainst endwise movement due to the tensioning stresses can be obtained.

The rubber strip 33 preferably is common to all of the elements 20though if desired separate strips may be utilized.

In some instances, instead of the rubber strip 33, a large number ofoiled laminated strips 36, preferably of metal, may be used, these beingjuxtaposed fiatwise on the back of the strip 32 and in face-to-facerelation, as illustrated in Fig. 9, and connected together at one endonly so that they can slide relative to each other and adjust themselvesto different curvatures and flexures of the operating face 32.

In the form of the invention thus far described, each element 20 isoperated by a single piston and cylinder assemblage.

However, as illustrated in Fig. 8, links 37 may be provided between eachpiston and the adjacent ends of two adjacent elements 20, the linksbeing adapted to rock so that one piston urges the ends of two adjacentelements 20 toward the side face of the die. With pressure thus appliedfrom each piston to two adjacent elements 20, full conformance with thecurvature of the die can be obtained.

Again, as illustrated in Fig. 9, a single link 37 may be connected toeach piston for rocking movement about a horizontal axis and this linkin turn connected to two adjacent elements 20 near their centers. Theelements 20 are connected to the link for rocking movement abouthorizontal axes and thus they can accommodate themselves to thecurvature of the die by bodily movement and by rocking about theconnection of the link with a piston rod, and individually by-rockingabout their pivotal connections with the link, In each such instance itis apparent that the elements are connected to piston and cylinderassemblage so that each element is urged forwardly into propercooperation with the die independently of the movement of the others sothat the strip 32 can adjust itself properly to the die and be forcedthereagainst with approximately uniform unit pressure at all portionsalong the entire length of the strip 32.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A wipe forming shoe for wipe forming a length of metal stock andhaving a variable contour wiping face which is continuously curvilineartransversely of its wiping direction, and comprising a plurality of shoeelements arranged in relatively closely spaced end to end relation toeach other in a row extending transversely of the wiping direction,means supporting the elements for individual movement forwardly andrearwardly of the row and constraining them from movement laterally outof the row, a plurality of piston and cylinder assemblages connected tothe elements so as to yieldably urge each element forwardlyindependently of movement of the other elements forwardly, means forconnecting said assemblages concurrently to a source of pressure fluidfor yieldably urging said elements forwardly concurrently under yieldingpressure, at least one element being connected to each assembly, acontinuous, flexible wear resisting strip of relatively hard materialhaving a wiping face exposed forwardly of the row of elements and of asize sufficient to cover the entire width of the stock, a continuouselastomeric force equalizing-distributing means interposed between theforward faces of the elements and the other face of the strip andengaging said other face over substantially its entire area, andoperatively connected to the strip to dis tribute forces from theelements more nearly uniformly along the strip and to direct said forcesas distributed at more nearly right angles to the curvilinear wipingface of the strip at the points of application of the distributed forcesthereto by the equalizing-distributing means.

2. A wipe forming shoe according to claim 1 wherein the shoe elementsare connected to the assemblages, respectively.

3. A wipe forming shoe according to claim 1 wherein said meanssupporting the elements are a generally upright support and guide meanssupporting the support for movement forwardly and rearwardly, the shoeelements are arranged one above the other in said row for movementforwardly and rearwardly of and relative to the support and with thesupport, said assemblages include cylinders carried by said support andarranged in a generally upright row with their axes extendinghorizontally forwardly and rearwardly of the support, and pistons insaid cylinders, respectively, said pistons being connected to theelements for yieldably urging each element forwardly independently ofthe movement of the others forwardly.

4. A wipe forming shoe according to claim 2 wherein said upright supportis channel shaped, means to support the support with its open sidedisposed forwardly, the shoe elements are arranged in the channelsupport and are confined laterally by the channel sides of the support,and said piston and cylinder assemblages are disposed in the channel ofthe support rearwardly of the shoe elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS305,707 Norwood Sept. 23, 1884 1,203,152 Steudner Oct. 31, 19162,279,964 Berliner Apr. 14, 1942 2,303,059 Misfeldt Nov. 24, 19422,338,603 Schultz Jan. 4, 1944 2,373,822 Geppelt Apr. 17, 1945 2,379,658Saunders July 3, 1945 2,522,319 Tinley Sept. 12, 1950 2,592,229 AlexayApr. 8, 1952 2,806,506 Yurka Sept. 17, 1957

